Ahead Software Press Release 08/06/04

Over 14 Individual Applications Now Included In The Most Complete Award-Winning Digital Media Suite Available

Glendale, CA, USA (June 8th, 2004)—Ahead Software, leaders in digital media technology, today announced several new exciting updates to the Ultimate All-In-One Digital Media Solution, Nero 6 Ultra Edition, including a newly designed package. This reloaded version of Nero 6 Ultra Edition offers all of its award-winning applications along with unlimited MP3, unlimited MPEG-4, Dolby Digital 5.1 surround and Dolby 2 channel encoding, Double Layer recording, and the all new Nero PhotoShow Express, the easy photo management application. With Nero StartSmart as your command center for all your digital media projects, accessing all 14 applications and launching a desired project is a breeze for users of all skill levels.

Nero 6 Ultra Edition fulfills today?s digital consumers? need for an all-inclusive software to complete their audio, video, photo, data and backup projects. Nero 6, the world?s first software suite to support DVD+R Double Layer recording, is also the software of choice for such trusted brands such as Sony, Philips and many more. Nero 6 now brings Double Layer recording to the retail consumer. Nero Recode 2 featuring Nero Digital?, the world?s fastest MPEG-4 encoder, enables the user to recode non-copy protected movies (DVD-9 to DVD-5) to a CDR/RW, DVD+/-R or a single DVD+R DL disc in DVD-Video format (DVD-9 to DVD-9). Users can now store more than ten movies in Nero Digital?s MPEG-4 format. Nero Digital? combines MPEG-4 video with AAC audio and has full subtitle support allowing the user to fit an entire DVD onto a CD while maintaining 5.1 surround sound audio and excellent video quality.

The latest addition to Nero 6 Ultra Edition, Nero PhotoShow Express, provides the most user-friendly interface to manage, make and share digital photos. Digital camera users can capture, edit and manage their photos and photo albums, make musical slideshows and screen savers, and order customized photo gifts seamlessly within the application. Editing features such as red-eye correction, auto-fix, adding text or clip art allows the user to make any picture perfect. Users can incorporate their favorite photos into musical slideshows and share them with family and friends online via e-mail, HTML link or burn them to CD or VCD. In addition, users can preserve their memorable moments by ordering custom DVDs and customized photo gifts including mugs, T-shirts, calendars and mouse pads with photos they have created directly from the application.

?Ahead Software has been meeting customer needs and desires with continuous free updates to the Nero 6 Ultra Edition, the complete digital media solution, since 2003? said Udo Eberlein, President, Ahead Software Inc. ?Customer satisfaction is Ahead?s top priority, and Nero?s newest additions will again provide them with the hottest technology for their every day digital media needs.?

The reloaded Nero 6 Ultra Edition also includes various feature updates to core Nero applications. NeroVision Express 2 takes video capturing, editing, photo slideshows and animated menu creation to the next level with its support of full DVD-Video authoring on DVD+/-R and DVD+R DL. Nero BackItUp, which takes full advantage of CD, DVD, hard drive and the increased capacity of a DVD+R DL disc, allows users to run scheduled backups, password-protect their data and choose from various backup modes such as full or incremental. The industry standard Nero Burning Rom and Nero Express 6 allows users to burn standard data and digital audio discs with up to 8.5 GB in size. The powerful DVD and digital video playback software, Nero ShowTime, offers vibrant picture quality for all DVD formats compatible with Nero Digital? (MPEG-4). InCD 4, the standard packet writing application, also provides DVD-RAM support, DVD-RW quick format, and significant performance improvements on high-speed media.

Nero?s most recent release will be available online on June 8th at www.nero.com for $69.99 and downloadable upgrade for $49.99. Current Nero 6 Ultra Edition users can update the latest release for free at www.nero.com. The retail box will be available at participating retailers on July 1st in the USA and Canada.

About Ahead
Ahead Software provides the most reliable CD/DVD software applications available to serve digital media markets worldwide. Since its inception in 1995, Ahead?s leading application, Nero, has built a loyal customer base of more than 140 million users world-wide.

Ahead?s award-winning flagship product, Nero 6, provides an all-in-one comprehensive digital media solution. Ahead?s product line also includes Nero Digital? ? audio/video technology, Nero PhotoShow Elite ? the easy and complete photo experience, SIPPS ? VoIP, and across ? professional computer aided translation software. Ahead distributes its products globally through world?s leading drive manufacturers and PC makers, as well as leading worldwide retailers, online partners, and also directly to consumers at www.nero.com. Ahead Software AG is headquartered in Karlsbad, Germany, with its subsidiaries Ahead Software Inc. located in Glendale, California, USA and Ahead Software K.K. located in Yokohama, Japan.